David Whiting
Background
Dr. David Whiting is the owner of the research vessel Shakti out of Honolulu, Hawaii. He is in a relationship with his student Sandra Kane.
During the events of Up from the Depths (1979) played by Charles Howerton
David is doing a dive check with Sandra. She asks for a kiss for good luck and then dives into the water. David monitors a sonar system while Sandra is underwater. Suddenly an earthquake happens underwater and Sandra is attacked by something. David then stares as a pool of blood rises to the surface. He returns to the marina and is pulled onto the dock by his workers. He reports Sandra missing to Nieberg and then goes back onto his boat. Nieberg and David discuss Sandra missing and they agree that they hope she just walked to shore. A pair of fisherman bring David some deep sea fish they found for him to identify including one he doesn't recognize. He overhears Rachel McNamara tell Nieberg that Tourist 1 drowned and Earl Sullivan tell Nieberg that Holland drowned. He then walks up to Rachel and Greg Oliver and asks them to describe what they saw and then tells Rachel he will come and see her later. Nieberg goes onto David's boat and asks him about the thing attacking people and David tells him he thinks it is something that came up with changing currents. David tells Nieberg a Monster Fish is attacking people and he wants to catch it and study it. Rachel, Greg and Harry are at the location where Harry found the arm when they are attacked by the Monster Fish which smashes their boat. David and Nieberg arrive in their boat and save Greg and Rachel by pulling them onto their boat. They head towards the bay and tell everyone to get out of the water. Oscar Forbes goes to shoot the fish, but David pushes his arm down and he shoots himself in the foot. David brings a poster to the hotel advertising a fishing competition for the Monster Fish and Rachel says she is closing the resort. Greg gets onto David's boat with Rachel to help catch the Monster Fish alive. David shows Rachel and Greg the tranquilizer gun he has. Earl chastises Greg for leaving him to help Rachel, but Greg jumps into the water with David. David is attacked by the Monster Fish and Greg drags him onto the boat, but David dies.